Bihar polls: Rahul, Sonia Gandhi unlikely to share dais with Lalu Prasad

PATNA: Congress president Sonia Gandhi or party vice-president Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to share the stage with RJD chief Lalu Prasad during Bihar election campaign.

Congress and RJD sources said no joint election campaign of Lalu, Sonia or Rahul has been planned yet. "The two parties are trying to maintain distance from each other to avoid any controversy in the name of supporting corruption or corrupt people. There is no possibility of Sonia or Rahul sharing stage with Lalu who has been convicted in a fodder scam case," a Congress source said. Lalu is also trying to avoid sharing dais with Congress leaders, particularly Rahul, who has criticized him in public on several occasions.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, the Mahagathbandhan face in this election, said the other day that the opposition was trying to divert election campaign by raising the issue of top Congress and RJD leaders not sharing the dais. "We are united and joint campaigns are not required to prove it. We will hold election meetings separately and ensure maximum coverage and campaign in favour of the Mahagathbandhan candidates," said Nitish while playing down the issue.

Bihar Congress president Ashok Chaudhary said top leaders of the Congress, JD(U) and the RJD are not likely to share stage in the first and second phase of poll campaign.

"Campaign schedule for first and second phases is ready and there is time constraint. We are trying to organize a joint meeting in fourth or fifth phase in November," said Chaudhary, adding that it will depend on the availability of top Congress, JD(U) and RJD leaders for a joint public meeting.